Recruit
by Freaky42
Summary: The Titans get a visitor with a odd Request. Who is he really and why did he come?


Setting: Outside Titans tower.

Time: Midday

Point Of View: Jay

Keys:

' ' Thoughts

"" Spoken Dialogue

' It's been a long time, four years too long in fact. ' Jay walked up a seldom used path to the tower. The Titans obviously wouldn't really need to use it, seeing as they could all either fly or had other means of transportation. Jay on the other hand, had neither the ability to fly nor any grandiose method of travel other than his own two feet. It had been that way for the past four years. As he thought about it a cynical smile crept over his face. This little fact alone would probably end up getting him turned away. After all it wasn't like the Titans really _needed_ his help after all. Well, either way he would give it a shot, he really didn't have anything left to lose.

As he got closer to the door at base of the tower, he wondered if they would even be here at the moment. The way his luck usually ran, they'd all probably be off fighting crime somewhere. Leaving him to wait there until they returned. Oh well, it's not as if he wasn't used to the concept of 'Hurry up and wait ... '. He walked up the path until he finally reached the door. " Oh boy ... well here goes nothing. " He said as he got ready to knock. The lack of a doorbell telling him that the Titans didn't usually entertain guests at the tower. ' Too bad about that, explaining why your house is shaped like a giant T would be a pretty good icebreaker. ' Jay shook his head around to clear it. " All right time to get serious. "

He reached for the door preparing to knock on it, but a sudden commotion on the other side made him pause. " What on earth? It sounds like there's a stampede coming." Suddenly the door slid to the side. He barely had enough time to leap out of the way as a giant green Ox flew through the door. The Ox quickly transformed into a green cheetah and took off towards the beach at the bottom of the hill. The animals passing was also marked by the sound of wild laughter as a giant mechanical man burst through the door behind it. Suddenly it dawned on him, ' Oh Beast Boy ... and Cyborg.' The noise that he had heard earlier quickly lessened as the duo made for the beach. Looking down Jay realized how stupid he must look laying half prone to the side of the door. "Jeez I look like an idiot..." He started to get up, only to be forced to duck down again when a purple blurr rushed past his head. This time ,however, the laughter was decidedly more feminine, though just as loud. It was quickly followed by a much darker flying figure. Jay noted that this one wasn't laughing like the rest. He caught sight of her eyes for only a split second. In that moment he felt a deep wash of Pain and fear come over him but it was quickly followed with a sense of compassion and hope. Just as soon as it had come it was gone again as the figure flew off towards the others. Jay blinked. "What was that..?" He whispered. Then he realized he was still sitting on the ground. With a quick glance around he decided that the coast was clear and got up and started to brush the dust off of himself.

As he finished up, another figure appeared in the door. However, it stopped just past the threshold and turned back to the opening. A quick glance told Jay that this was Robin. The Boy wonder pressed a switch along the side of his belt and the door slid shut again, sealed from the outside. Robin suddenly tensed when he realized he wasn't standing there alone. He quickly turned to look at Jay. ' Well this isn't exactly how I thought it would go.' Jay thought. Robin quickly took in the situation, noting that Jay had a rifle slung across his back he went into a more defensive posture. All that Jay could do was to crack a somewhat embarrassed smile. "Heh,...uhh Hi there I know that this looks a little odd .."

Jay began to say. " Who are you? " Robin said with a hint of menace in his voice. ' Oh great, this is getting off to a great friggin' start isn't it? ' Jay thought. ' Well I had better lay it out quickly before he kicks my ass. ' " My name is Jay, I've come here with a request if you'll hear me out. " Jay told him with as much confidence in his voice as he could muster. Robin seemed to take on a slightly less menacing posture, but it was obvious his guard was still up. He glanced to the side in the direction that the other Titans had already gone then his focus was back on Jay. " It looks like you were in the middle of something, it's all right, please continue what you were doing. " This obviously didn't lower Robin's gaurd any more than it already was. If anything Robin now looked slightly more suspicious of him. "Umm... if it will help I'll stay where you can see me until your done with whatever it is you're doing. " Jay said. Robin still wasn't convinced, he could tell by the glances he was giving at the weapon on Jay's back. " Alright if that isn't enough, I'll hand over my weapon for the time being ... but I'll be needing it back. " This finally seemed to do the trick and Robin accepted with only a curt nod. Jay slowly unslung his rifle and handed it stock first to Robin. " After you then ... " Jay said.

Setting: Beach below Titans Tower

Time: Midday

Point Of View: Group

"BOOOH-YAHH" , Cyborg's shout caught everyones attention as he did a flying cannonball into the oncoming surf. Especially that of Beast-Boy who was just a little too close to where cyborg landed. His surprise turned to glee and he called out, " Dude, surfs up! " ,before he transformed into a seal and rode out the resulting tidalwave back to shore. Back on shore Starfire was looking up at the sky with a quizzical look on her face. Raven looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "Uhh.. Star, what are you looking at? " She asked quietly. " I am looking for the surf, did Beast-Boy not say that it was up? " Replied Star fire. At this Raven sweat-dropped. "Uh huh..." Raven was going to explain further but that's when BB hit the beach nearly ramming into them both.

Jay was watching all this as he and Robin came closer to the others. 'What exactly are they doing? I thought they were running out after some criminals or something.' He glanced over at Starfire and Raven and saw that they were continuing to lay down a blanket on the ground and set out a ... Picnic basket? 'Oh, well that explains it.' As the two late arrivals showed up the other Titans called out to Robin. "Yo man didn't think you were gonna make it.", Teased Cyborg. "You have a little problem locking the door?" "Yeah go figure the boy wonder can fight crime but can't lock the front door!" Beast-boy cried out laughing. Starfire just stood there smiling barely able to contain her joy again today. Raven was busy using her powers to finish laying out the contents of the picnic basket. When she turned to look up she caught sight of Jay coming down behind Robin and saw the rifle that Robin had in his hands. "Robin, what's going on?" She said. As she spoke the others took notice and became more serious. "Who's your new friend?" Cyborg asked half jokingly. "Yes who is this new friend Robin?", Starfire jumped in, "I have not met him before now." Everyone slowly rolled there eyes a little, sometimes Starfire could be a little oblivious of a situation. "I'm afraid he's not a friend of mine Star, I just met him a moment ago." Robin replied. "He said that he has a request to ask us." "It's alright, I'll wait until your all done here." Jay interjected. "I didn't mean to interupt you." "Like I said I'll just wait over here." He walked over to a large rock and sat down to make the point he was willing to wait. The others looked at each other then they all shrugged. Raven spoke up,"If you don't mind I'll watch that then." She said pointing at the weapon in Robins hand. "I don't like people that show up unannounced with weapons." Beast-boy snickered a little bit," I didn't think she liked people anyways." He whispered to Cyborg. The two chuckled together until Raven stared right at them. Her eyes glowing with menace. " I heard that." She said quietly. Even as soft spoken as that the two boys took note of the tone and quickly ceased laughing. Starfire interuppted breaking the tension that was seemingly mounting. " Friends let us begin the picnic for it will be a glorious event yes? " Having said that the others relaxed a little, and began to enjoy their picnic.

' Well, I wasn't expecting this. Maybe this will calm them down. " Jay thought. ' It seems showing up unannounced wasn't the best plan for this. What else was I supposed to do though it's not like they're listed in the phone book is it? ' He continued to wait while the Titans had their picnic. Even though he obviously posed little threat to them he was aware that they were constantly watching him. You really couldn't blame them could you? He noticed that the person who watched him the most intently was Raven. It was obvious to anyone that she did not trust him being there. However what wasn't obvious to Jay was that she was also telepathic. So while he cautiously watched over the group, she too was watching him, or rather watching what he thought.

' He doesn't make any sense. All his thoughts are too random they keep jumping around. ' She thought. ' Every time I think that I've gotten ahold of something his thoughts jump again. This is getting really frustrating. ' The more Raven tried to search through his thoughts the more questions it brought to mind. All she was able to get were brief flashes rather than anything coherent. She saw a ruined battlefield with hundreds dead or dying. Then it switched and all she saw was nothingness all around her. It changed again. This time she saw the face of another man. It was badly scarred and bloodied, but then it shifted and the same face was there, but instead of being covered with fresh wounds it looked like it had been cared for. The image pulled away and she saw that the man was lying in a coffin. The lid was suddenly closed and a flag was draped over it. It changed once again this time she saw nothing but all around her she heard the cheers and shouts of a crowd of people chanting in praise. The shouts started to die away, but were replaced by even more voices, this time instead of praise they hurled curses. ' What is all of this? I think I'm going to have to tell the others about this.' She thought to herself. Suddenly the thoughts were shifting again and in the next flash she was looking at a reflection in a mirror. The reflection was of Jay, she was looking through his eyes. The expression on his face held so much sadness she actually felt it as if it were her own. A very dangerous thing considering her powers. Then the expression suddenly changed to one of pure determination. The look on his face bordered on the brink of madness. As she looked into the reflections' eyes she could feel the raw willpower. It was as if nothing could be denied to that unblinking gaze. She felt like the reflection was feeling through her mind touching on the things that she barely allowed herself to have contact with. Suddenly without realizing it she was staring straight into his eyes as he sat across from them. All of the thoughts were gone, she didn't know if she had broken contact with his mind or had been kicked out somehow. She quickly tried to cover her discomfiture and looked away. ' What was that? ' She thought. She decided that she had had enough looking through his mind for now and tried to concentrate on what the others were doing. It could wait for later, perhaps what he had to say would shed some light on what had just happened.


End file.
